Earthmoving and construction type machines, which have endless self-laying track chain assemblies for support and propulsion, generally utilize a sprocket wheel to engage and drive the track chain. Several different types of sprocket wheels have been used in the past, including a single wheel member having a plurality of integral teeth, a circular support member for supporting a number of wheel segments, each segment having a plurality of teeth. However, many prior drive sprocket constructions have been ineffective, or quite limited, in their ability to reduce noise levels during driving operation against an endless track chain assembly.
One attempt to provide a reduced noise sprocket assembly is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,881,930 for a Sprocket Assembly, granted Nov. 21, 1989, to Thomas Oertley assigned to the assignee of the present invention. The sprocket assembly described in the referenced Oertley patent produces low levels of noise by utilizing individually replaceable tooth structures which are resiliently isolated from the support housing and from adjoining tooth structures. That arrangement requires many components, including resilient pads between adjacently disposed teeth retaining members and pins to hold the resilient pads in place, and a resilient cushion band positioned between the hub of the drive sprocket and the tooth structures.
The present invention is directed to overcoming one or more of the problems as set forth above.